Overview
Ryan Derry’s practice includes various aspects of employment litigation and counseling, including employment discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage and hour issues. He has represented employers in multiple jurisdictions in state and federal courts as well as in administrative proceedings against individual and class claims across industries, including retail, transportation, finance, healthcare, and technology fields.
A talented litigator, Mr. Derry is adept at handling complex single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, collective, class, and representative matters from inception through trial. He has successfully defended clients in over ten trials and arbitrations, including individual and multi-plaintiff claims for retaliation, gender discrimination, disability discrimination, harassment, breach of contract, defamation, and class claims for violations of the California Labor Code.
He has litigated matters before the National Labor Relations Board and has also managed large multi-unit investigations and settlements with the U.S. Department of Labor. He also maintains an active counseling practice and enjoys developing unique solutions and arguments for novel legal issues.
Mr. Derry is a frequent presenter and panelist on a variety of subject matters. Recent presentations have included trial and discovery strategy, the California Family Rights Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Mr. Derry has been named as a California Super Lawyer Rising Star for multiple years.
Education
Mr. Derry received his B.S. in Resource Economics, summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2003. Mr. Derry received his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, with honors, in 2006 where he served as Senior Managing Editor of the Public Contract Law Journal and as a Dean’s Fellow. His note on public contracting False Claims Act liability was published in the Summer 2006 edition of the Public Contract Law Journal and republished in the fall 2006 edition of The False Claims Act & Qui Tam Quarterly Review.
Representations
- Successfully defended clients in both trial and arbitration forums against single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class action claims of disability, gender, and religious discrimination, breach of contract, retaliation, and wage and hour violations.
- Handled putative class action wage and hour litigation from inception and factual investigation through favorable resolution and class settlement.
- Conducted various wage and hour audits across industry, including areas of exempt-status classification and compliance with requirements under the California Labor Code.
- Coordinated client responses to California and Federal administrative and law enforcement agencies.
- Enforced and compelled arbitration under various agreements.
- Served as outside employment counsel for clients, providing advice and counseling regarding personnel and policy decisions and corresponding risk.